Former Gravenhurst CAO new Town Clerk

The Deputy Clerk of the Town of Aurora was appointed New Tecumseth's
Clerk and Director of Administration at a special meeting of council
last night.

Cindy Maher, whose last day in Aurora will be Feb. 28, takes over the
post in New Tecumseth, including Director of Administration, on March 4.

Ms. Maher's departure comes on the heels of her elevation to Clerk
following a departmental restructuring in Aurora's municipal office
that saw John Leach ousted from the office. Her appointment was to take
effect Jan. 27.

Instead she takes over a position left vacant by the retirement of
Cheryl McCarroll who joined New Tecumseth in June 2011. The position
pays approximately $120,000 per year plus benefits. Duties include:
"Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer you will head the
department to manage its functions: administration and financial
requirements; execution of the statutory duties of Municipal Clerk
including Council secretariat and records management functions; acting
as "Head" under FOI legislation, and as Returning Officer for municipal
elections; coordinating property acquisition and disposal; overseeing
municipal law enforcement, licensing and vital statistics; providing
related public and interdepartmental/government liaison.
Responsibilities include: Staff supervision and development; policy and
standards recommendation, departmental budget preparation and
administration; report preparation and attendance at Council/Committee
meetings; executing corporate agreements, by-laws and land transfers as
signatory with the Mayor; and contributing to corporate
goals/decision-making as a member of the senior management team."

Prior to joining Aurora, Ms. Maher was the CAO of Gravenhurst for 11
years, but was
terminated "without cause" in April 2011. The fall out from that
included Gravenhurst having to issue a public apology that was
published in the local paper, and reached a confidential settlement
because the timing "may have left the impression that her employment
... was connected with alleged kickbacks referred to in the various
articles" that were published in "various publications on April 26 and
27, 2011. The Town of Gravenhurst wishes to make it absolutely clear
that Ms Maher's termination had nothing to do with any alleged
kickbacks and was a without cause termination," According to a Feb. 1,
2012 article published by the Huntsville Forester.

New Tecumseth has had its own recent history with the Clerk's office,
including having to pay more than $150,000, plus the termination pay
requirements, in a confidential deal to settle out of court in a
wrongful dismissal action following the firing of Gayla McDonald, which
coincidentally happened about one month before Ms. Maher's ordeal in
Gravenhurst.

The next vacancy to fill in New Tecumseth is Director of Planning to
replace Eric Chandler who announced his retirement last month.